Des lay on the roof top of the school, whistling a tune as he looked at the card he received. It was a blank card with a single name on it written in some fancy writing. ‘Tartara’. “Hmm so she be me secret Santa dis year eh? Hmmm let see” he mumbled as he flip the card over reading what she would want. “A new cook book or something to do with skulls. I should’ve guessed as much. Hm I suppose Hamlet and Hades be want’n something as well.” He let out a whistle as he got up, stretching his back. “Welp, ain't no use lollygagging. Best be off, I think I know de perfect thing fer them.” He said as he walked towards the edge of the roof. He hopped off and went straight down, opening a portal beneath him and slipping through.

Tangwyn hummed to himself as he worked in the kitchen more than normal. To his side were several dishes that were dirtied from this morning. It was another big group in the kitchen on that morn, and he was pleased he could cook for them. But in the back of his mind was a lingering thought. He needed to get a gift for his fellow student as part of the academy’s event. He had to acquire a fish for Rima. As he cleaned the dishes and got to make a large amount of food he pondered on which part of the lake would be the best to fish when he looked at his hands. ‘Of course’ he thought. The cancer sign that was glowing purple, a memory of his last assignment to grant him clearer vision. He closed his eyes to focus, his ruby and the cancer glyph on the back of his palms glowing in unison. Within his mind he saw himself at the northwest side of the lake fishing and obtaining something. He opened his eyes and smiled as he looked outside through a window. “Today is a good day for fishing”

Hugo was underground digging, cutting through dirt and stone like a fish cutting through water. He enjoyed the feeling of dirt under his claws and the rocky earthy smell. It was a stony paradise to him, and where he could think best. He always did his best thinking and deep ponderings when he could keep himself busy be it digging a tunnel or carving new figures or even playing a beat on a drum, anything if he could keep his body moving and working. He wanted to think clearly for this project, finding cloths for Alyth. He was far from a tailor and he didn’t want to ask for help, he wanted to handle this himself. A mix of hubris and family code dictated that much. The answer to his pondering didn’t come to view just yet, only a faint glimmer of an idea as Hugo tunneled deeper.

Des stepped out of his portal, hearing wet grass being pressed down as he took his step out. He was back on a familiar setting to him, a place of tree’s and rocks and mystery. A place outside of boarders of other cities or towns, and to Des, a safe haven for himself. Here he would train sometimes from dusk to dawn to get stronger, to get better, and to push himself to his limit and beyond. Des took a breath and let out a sharp whistle, hearing the unmistakable ‘CAAW’ coming somewhere close. Above him coming down in for a landing was a giant monster like bird, cawing and nuzzling to Des. “Eya Taya it be nice ta see ya.” He said as he petted him. Ok it wasn’t exactly an Earth based summon, or really a summon at all, but Des had tame Taya and handled him with care, and kept him safe in his small haven. “Alright boyo I need ye to find me a large fallen log get one fer me will ye?” Taya cooed before flapping away, Des taking his gloves and ring off and started to wrap his hands in bandages.

Tangwyn was walking towards the spot he saw in his mind. On his back was a carrier holding a large crate full of food and a fishing pole, and in his hand was a large walking stick to help him with his balance. Tangwyn was humming as he walked; pondering on what he’ll obtain through this event. ‘A smile from a happy student’ and it made him smile and felt warm. He enjoyed helping others and enjoyed seeing other students feeling fine. As he walked he slowly got to his spot, unstrapping his load and setting it to the ground and sat with a ‘thud’. He took his fishing pole and twined a hook to it and set a piece of sweet bread, flicking his wrist to cast the line. He poured himself a cup of tea and sat, waiting.

Hugo crawled out of the hole he made and turned to cover it up. He was neat in that regard, always filling in the holes he made so no one would trip or fall into them. Hugo smiled and swished his tail when he remembered his idea he had, one that was a bit farfetched but worth a shot. He wanted to make this special for her, everyone should have something special for Christmas, or at least he reasoned. He just needed four things, time, strength, cleverness, and of course a bit of luck. He entered the boy’s dorm and crawled into his room, digging out through the mess of a drawer he had and took out a small pearl he kept in there. The pearl glowed in the light, a soft glow. Sure it was small, but it was a start. Taking a bag he carefully wrapped the pearl in a cloth and stashed in the bag before opening the window. He crawled down the wall and dug as he touched the earth. He had a lot of digging to do.

In Des’s haven there was a loud sound ringing through it, the sound of a freight train roaring by. Des’s roar sounded much like one as he barrel through his haven charging at his max speed towards the log Taya set down for him. With smoke billowing out of his mouth he ran just to the side of it, his fist coming up with a rock shattering punch. The fist collided with the hard wood and broke of pieces of it, Des slowing down for a moment before picking his speed and charged away, turning sharply and letting out another freight train roar as he repeated this process a few more times. With each blow the log slowly chipped and shattered into a smaller more malleable shape. He took a break, his knuckles bruised from the abuse but he pushed the pain aside. He sat down on the grass and reached for a bag of cloth and crochet needles, looking over a small pamphlet as he worked on a side project. “De things I do”

Tangwyn sighed as he reeled his line in, the hook snapped off. He wasn’t having the best of luck with fishing. As Tangwyn tied a new hook and set another piece of sweet bread and casted his line he sipped his tea. He wanted to get the right fish when something tugged at his line. He smiled and started to pull and reel it in, trying to watch himself and his strength. The fish was fighting back and was fighting hard. Tangwyn grunted as he continues to reel the fighting fish. He stood up and with a slight grunt he snapped his arms back to pull the fish back when there was a new sound, the sound of breaking wood. The pole snapped in half from the jerk, and his own hands crushed the handle of it, the fish swimming away. He looked at his pole and what he did and face palmed himself. Back to square one.

Hugo was smiling to himself when he found a large rock under the earth, using his claws to prick at it and chip till it broke to reveal a geode with several purple crystals inside. He smiled to himself, another perfect one. He put it in his sack next to the other luck finds and continues to dig looking for more. After an hour had past he resurfaced, filling in the hole and hauling his load. Step one was done and now for step two. He went back to his room, setting the stash under his bed and going to his closet looking for something. He sent a note to his mother when the event began asking for a dress a bit bigger than what Alyth wore, along with some gloves, boots, and fur. He set the clothing on his bed and took out a spool of thread and a gem, chipping a hole through it which he sew thread into it. He had a lot of work to go just yet.

Des rubbed his eyes, setting a crochet beanie in a bag and tossed to the side falling on his back. He looked up seeing the sun starting to set where he was at, and groaned when he saw log which he on and off again pounded till it was a long rectangle. He had a long way to go. He got up and prepared his body as he went back to punching chips off the hard wood. He continued this till the moon started to rise and he was content with what he made so far. A large chest like shape stood when he was done. He took out a sander and started to sand it so it be smooth, humming and whistling as he worked. When the moon rosed higher a few hours later the chest was smooth, and now he needed the finishing touches. He took up his violin and closed his eyes, focusing. He started to play a slow song on his instrument, feeling a connection to nature. As he played the wooden chest moved ever so slightly as cracks form, snaking their way and carving. It was a hard form of earth magic, one he haven’t tried yet but thought now be a good time, using his music to command the wood of the chest to carve itself. Song after song, melody after melody till midnight rolled. He stopped playing; looking at the chest seeing through magic it was carved. In the middle was a skull and on the sides were pictures of Tartara and Simon together in different settings, a romantic picnic, and a waltz under the moon. On the lid on each side were grinning skulls and the back was Tartara with her two summons, Hades and Hamlet. He smiled to himself, proud of his work before falling back onto he ground dead asleep, exhausted from it. Taya cooed as he walked closer, nesting next to his master.

Tangwyn shook his body as he casted his new pole. He didn’t want to go back to his dorm to get a pole; instead he used his connection to the earth to carve a fishing pole made out of stone and used some branches and vines he found as the line. He wasn’t going to give up on this gambit, even if his patience was running thin. He ran out of tea a long ago and wasn’t happy with it. He waited as he could till he felt something, a familiar tugged. He recognize this one, the one that made him broke his original pole, and he was ready. He stood up and started to reel it in, the fish still fighting. He started to enjoy the fighting fish, it wasn’t the first time. Indeed between this one and the first time he fought this fish a few more times, and became a test in itself. He reeled back as he could, waiting when he saw a tip of a fin. He knelt down and planted his fishing pole into the ground and stood up, his ruby and sign glowing. He clapped his hands together and raised his arms, feeling the earth pulse under him and heard stone moving. From behind the fish a stone wall rose, cutting off the fish from returning to the main body. Continuing he moved the earth forming a cage of stone and rock around the fish, raising it higher till he caught the fish within a stone prison. He heard the fish splashing trying to escape but to no avail. He panted and smiled, sitting down and closing his eyes. He drifted off into an easy slumber, happy he did it.

Hugo was working on his project as his tail played an easy going beat on a drum. He took out a string of small purple crystals tied with thread and carefully pressed and tied them to the dress in a set pattern. He figured it wasn’t different from carving or whittling; only it was a smaller and more careful. As he finished with one line he took out the next few crystals and cared them into shapes and poked a hole to tie a string through them, pacing his work. He smiled to himself when he thought how far he gotten, having most of the clothing done. But now was on the final stretch and yawned. He hasn’t worked on a project this big in a while and he was getting tired. He rubbed his eye and continues, keeping himself going with the beating of his drum. In time he finished the last line and set the dress on a hanger and hung it on the coat before going to the final part. He took the pearl from before and strung it on a small metal locket, pressing gently and working on a chain. He smiled tiredly as he set it on the desk and crawled under the covers, his tail beating still. One beat, two beats, three beats, four beats, no beats.

Des woke up in the late afternoon, yawning and shaking his head. He winced when he felt his knuckles pulse with pain. He remembered vaguely why they were in pain. He looked over at the carved chest and smiled when he got up, setting the bag into it along with another item of particular interest. “It been fun Taya, but I need ta get this to the lassie. I’ll be back later, see ya boy.” He said as he patted Taya’s head before opening a portal, hoping through and entering the Academy’s garden. He looked around and saw Tartara reading a book, smiling and walking over. “Eya Tartara, I have something fer ye.” As he spoke Hamlet appeared, sitting down on Des’s head in greeting, making the doomtrain smile. “Oh? And what’s that Des?” she asked as she closed her book. Des chuckle before opening a portal, reaching in and pulling out a black beanie. “This is fer ye Hamlet” he said as he set the beanie on the flying skull before reaching into the portal. “And dis be fer ye Tartara, Merry Christmas” he said as he pulled out the carved chest and showed it to her, hoping she would like it.

Tangwyn was in the kitchen, cooking a breakfast for himself. After the bout last night he went back to the dorm in the morning and took a shower, smiling that he obtained the gift wished. He took his meal and ate it quickly before going back upstairs, hauling a large box, hearing a splashing sound inside. He went down and looked around the academy, humming to himself when he stopped now and then to check the fish. As he walked he noticed someone in the training ground, a young fenrir practicing some magic. He recognized her as Rima and smiled, walking up. “Hello Rima” he said in a good nature tone, looking down at her. “Oh hello… have we met?” she asked tilting her head when he chuckled. “No, but I do have something for you. A gift from me to you in honor of this holiday, I hope you enjoy it.” He said as he crouched and open the crate. Carefully he took a large bowl out of it. Inside the bowl was a medium size fish with bright colorful rainbow scales of red and yellow, swimming around. “This is yours now” he said with a light smile.

Hugo das tunneling through the ground keeping his back close to the surface, trying to find a vibration. From his hours digging many people were walking on the surface making small pats and vibrations, and in time the tonberry learn to recognize these individual vibrations from certain people. And now he was looking for a certain vibration he felt now and then from Alyth. If she was walking he could find her easily, but if she wasn’t it made it harder. He continues burrowing till he felt it, a faint vibration. He smiled and tunneled towards it, poking his head near the lake where he saw Alyth walking. He smiled and submerged again, burrowing closer till he sprung out to give Alyth a surprise hug. She made a small ‘eep’ when she saw who it was. “Oh h-hey Hugo. Heh you caught me off guard, what are you doing here?” she asked when Hugo motion for her to follow him. She was confused but nodded, following him till the edge of the lake near some trees. He dug out his chalk board and wrote ‘close your eyes’. At this point Alyth was perplexed but did it to humor him. In that moment Hugo took from behind a tree his gift. He made a clap for Alyth to open her eyes. When she did she could see Hugo was holding a dress bigger than what she was wearing, a pair of gloves and boots. However each of them sparkled as in set patterns were tiny crystals woven into them, making a kind of floral pattern on the gloves, boots, and dress. He then brought out a small silver necklace with a pearl in the middle. Using his tail he held a sign that read thusly: ‘I made these for you, well I just found some crystals and sewn them into your new cloths, these should last you a few years. You like?’